'I don’t want to be here alone': Teen survivor watches family buried

Christchurch: As he helped to bury his father and brother, 13-year-old Zahid Mustafa told mourners in Christchurch on Wednesday morning, “I do not want to be here alone.”

Khaled Mustafa and his 14-year-old son Hamza were the first victims of the massacre in Christchurch to be laid to rest in the Islamic section of the city’s Memorial Park Cemetery on Wednesday morning, behind specially erected fencing and heavily armed police.

"I don't want to be here alone": Zahid Mustafa, centre, the brother of Hamza and son of Khaled Mustafa, who were killed in the shooting. Credit: AP

Five hours later, the funeral processions began again and by nightfall four more of the dead had been buried.

The Mustafa family arrived in New Zealand only months ago, escaping the bloody war in Syria. They died on the other side of the world in the Al Noor mosque, the first of two places of worship attacked last Friday allegedly by an Australian extremist.

Shrouded and lying in open caskets, the two were carried overhead by mourners into a marquee set up in the Islamic section of the cemetery.

Less than 20 minutes later the caskets were lowered into the ground to be covered with earth by the bereaved.

Mufti Zeeyad Ravat leads a prayer at a makeshift memorial at the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch.Credit: AAP

Jamil al-Biza from the Ahlus Sunnah Wal Jamaah Association in Sydney said it was horrific to attend a funeral where the first words spoken were announcements outlining emergency evacuation procedures.

He said the funeral was a demonstration of humanity and this was why so many people had travelled thousands of kilometres to be present.

He called on Australian political leaders and media figures to learn a lesson from Christchurch and to follow the unifying example of New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison in particular needed to find a new way to communicate with the Muslim community and to win their trust, he said.

"I don’t know if that’s going be possible given his past, but he needs to try it and if [he] can’t he doesn’t deserve to be the Prime Minister."

A woman is overcome at the first funeral of the 50 victims of the Mosque shootings at the Memorial Park Cemetery.Credit: Jason South

Speaking after the funeral, Muhammad al-Jibaly of the Australian Islamic Centre in Newport said he wanted to express his gratitude to Australians for the outpouring of love they had shown to his community.

He said the centre had received flowers and postcards and messages of love and support from its Australian neighbours in Melbourne.

The funeral for one of 50 victims from the shootings at two Christchurch mosques.Credit: Jason South

"That is the real Australia, that is what we live with every day."

But he said the atrocity that struck Christchurch last Friday did not happen in a vacuum, and that some Australian leaders such as Pauline Hanson and Fraser Anning needed to recognise that their language could lead to hate and ultimately to violence.

Mufti Zeeyad Ravat from Melbourne leads the crowd in a prayer near the Al Noor Mosque in Christchurch. Credit: Jason South

It is understood that by Wednesday evening authorities had returned the remains of more than 30 of Friday’s victims to families, and burials are expected to continue in coming days.

Members of the Muslim community have been frustrated at the amount of time it has taken to release the bodies for burial, though leaders say they understand why the process has taken so long.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been praised for her handling of the tragedy.

Abdul Aziz, the Afghan-Australian hailed as a hero for fighting off the attacker at the Linwood mosque, said he supports authorities taking their time to ensure legal proceedings are not compromised.

Ali Reza, a Pakistani New Zealander who lost 12 friends in the attack on Al Noor Mosque, said the community had been overwhelmed by the support of the New Zealand community and government, and in particular by the leadership of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

"Anything they can do, they do," he said, noting how quickly visas had been arranged for families to travel to New Zealand and financial support provided for the funerals.

“I am proud to live in New Zealand."

In a demonstration of solidarity, the New Zealand government invited an imam to conduct prayers at the opening of the parliamentary session on Tuesday.

Ms Ardern offered an Islamic prayer: "Wa alaikum al-salaam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh." (May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be with you too.)

Ms Ardern was in Christchurch on Wednesday visiting Cashmere High School, which lost two students and one past student, as well as emergency workers.